Considering a college degree?

First, you'll have to understand the types of degrees and

college degree levels.

Different degrees prepare you for different career paths. For example, you can't become a
psychologist with just a bachelor's degree — you'd need a master's or doctorate in
psychology. And you usually can't become an engineer without at least a bachelor's degree.

Typically, as your university degree level rises, your earning potential increases, and the
unemployment rate decreases. That's one more reason it's important to understand the
different types of degrees.

What Types of Degrees Are There in College?

There are many types of degrees you can earn in college. College degree levels can be broken
down into two categories: undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees.

Here are the college degrees in order, from lowest ranking to highest:

 Associate degree (undergraduate)

 Bachelor's degree (undergraduate)
 Master's degree (graduate)
 Doctoral degree (graduate)

While a doctorate is the highest education level, some fields may stop at a master's. The
phrase "terminal degree" refers to the highest degree in a field.

A professional degree is a type of graduate degree — often a doctorate — that prepares you
for a professional career in fields like law and medicine.

Popular Online Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by
contacting the universities below.

Associate Degree
 Typical Program Length: 1-2 years
 Typical Number of Credits: 60

Most associate degrees prepare you to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.
These programs can be found at community and technical colleges and typically last 1-2
years.

An associate degree can also serve as the foundation for a bachelor's program. You may even
be able to transfer some of the credits you earned for your associate degree toward a four-
year degree.
Some associate degrees require you to complete an internship or practicum in addition to
taking classes. This is particularly common among healthcare and tech degrees.

To apply for an associate degree program, you'll need a high school diploma or equivalent,
like a GED certificate. Some schools may require you to submit standardized test scores, such
as the ACT or the SAT, as well.

Featured Associate Programs

What Can You Do With an Associate Degree?

An associate degree prepares you for vocational, allied health, and support roles. For
example, you can become a medical assistant, paralegal, or vet tech with an associate degree.

The highest-paying careers with an associate degree pay over $80,000 per year. See the table
below for salary information on other popular associate degree jobs.

POPULAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE JOBS

JOB MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY JOB GROWTH RATE
Dental Hygienist $81,400 7%
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer $78,210 10%
Web Developer $80,730 16%
Computer Network Support Specialist $59,660 5%
Respiratory Therapist $70,540 13%
Occupational Therapy Assistant $61,520 25%
Physical Therapist Assistant $57,240 19%
Paralegal $59,200 4%
Health Information Technologist $58,250 16%
Veterinary Technician $38,240 21%

Source: BLS

Types of Associate Degrees

Colleges can offer three kinds of associate degrees:

 Associate of Arts (AA)

 Associate of Science (AS)
 Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

Arts, humanities, and creative fields typically offer an AA, whereas social sciences and
natural sciences fields often award an AS. Many applied and vocational programs offer an
AAS degree.
The type of degree matters if you're planning to transfer into a bachelor's program. Colleges
normally offer fewer transfer credits for an AAS degree.

Popular Associate Degrees

 Accounting
 Business Administration
 Business Management
 Computer Science
 Criminal Justice
 Cybersecurity
 Early Childhood Education
 Education
 Graphic Design

 Healthcare Management
 Information Technology
 Legal Studies
 Marketing
 Medical Assisting
 Medical Billing and Coding
 Pre-Nursing
 Psychology
 Social Work

Bachelor's Degree
 Typical Program Length: 4 years
 Typical Number of Credits: 120

A bachelor's degree prepares you for many career paths. You'll

generally spend four years earning a bachelor's degree at a college
or university. You'll take general education classes and courses
in your major. You can also choose a minor.

Some colleges offer accelerated bachelor's programs, which take

less time — often 2-3 years. Degree-completion programs can also
speed up the timeline by awarding you credit for previous college
coursework.
You can earn your bachelor's degree online as well. An online
degree from an accredited college meets the same standards as
that of an in-person degree.

You'll need a high school diploma for admission and may also need
to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Featured Bachelor's Programs